Melting from the Inside Out
by MS-Sherbert
Summary: Just a sappy little Monder one-shot What better than sunset in the beach?


Monica was standing in front of a boundless sea, facing the setting sun that resembled a giant egg yolk sliding itself between the horizons. The evening was warm, yet strong chilling wind was breaking against her body. Closing her eyes, she listened to the conversation between the birds and the sea. One asked and one replied. She ran her left hand across her stomach, rested her right elbow on the back of her left hand, and used her fingers to trace the end of her own neck. She was content, and she had every reason to be. Goals that she set to accomplish before her age were accomplish. She was independent. She had friends to be there for her. Her job was the best. Totally able to satiate her natural competitive need. Every day at work was a challenge, an adventure.

_Well, not everybody wakes up in the morning to do something they enjoy; I do, _Monica thought.

While she remained motionless in front of the sea, her thoughts fluttered from scenarios to scenarios of her life. When it landed to Chandler, her sight spotted his figure approaching from where all the others were sited. The strong winds caused his loose white shirt and khaki short to press against his figure. After smiling at Chandler, Monica looked at the gang and waited for any of them to make an eye contact with her, but neither of them returned a look. Instead, they seemed to be having an intense discussion among themselves. At that moment, Monica had one of those feeling that warned her that something would happen today. She began to walk toward her friends, but met Chandler in her way. They exchanged smiles and Chandler took one hand out of his pocket to push his sunglasses upward, revealing his bright blue eyes and rosy pink cheeks that resulted from long hours of sun exposure at the beach. His expression was unreadable, like a tender smile caught in a worried expression. With the other hand, he grabbed Monica´s waist and began walking in direction opposite the gang, forcing Monica to follow him. Monica glanced over her shoulder at gang before concentrating on the road ahead. They were in each other's arm as they slowly wandered at the seashore.

She could sense that Chandler was worried about something.

" l love romantic walks on the beach," he said smiling, his eyes focused ahead.  
" And I love you" whispered Monica in his ears, assuring her love for him, hoping that she could somehow make him feel better.

In hearing that, Chandler wrinkled a smile, but it faded shortly. At that moment, Monica began to truly worry.

"Monica, there is something that I want to tell you" Chandler said softly as he stopped walking and turned around to face her, taking her hands between his. His expression suddenly became serious. His eyes were telling Monica that he was drop death nervous about what he was going to say. His forehead slightly frowning.

"Monica," Chandler began slowly, "Do you remember the last time we were at the beach together, and you said I wasn´t a boyfriend material?"

"Uh huh" she replied softly, confused at what this might go to.

"You were right". In that split second, a bunch of negative thoughts clouded Monica`s mind.

_Oh no! This is it,_ Monica thought.

_I think we should give ourselves a break… _Monica thought in Chandler´s voice._  
I´ve been diagnosed with stage III cancer …__  
Kathy was pregnant when broke up with her…__  
I don't love you anymore…_

She allowed herself to think of the worst, and every thought that crossed her mind caused her world to spin in the wrong way, as an engineer watching his building falling into pieces, as an author burning his own stories into ashes, as a woman about to lose her lover…

Her hands ran cold at her own thoughts.

Before Monica even had a chance to process any further, Chandler spoke again.

"I really wasn't a boyfriend material back then." Her heart almost stopped. She suddenly had a slight feeling that this might end well, but didn't want to elevate her hopes, in case it would fall.

"I was young", Chandler continued staring deep into her eyes as if it were his source of energy.  
"I didn't know anything. If you´ve asked me back then why I wanted to be with you , I would have probably said because you were beautiful, you were smart and funny… you know, just some typical compliment that any guy who´ve seen you for the first time would have said."

"But now, I can doubtlessly tell you that I love you, not only because you are beautiful and funny and smart", he approached her making the gap between them smaller. "I love you because I know who you truly are. All the little things that you do that nobody notices, that`s what I treasure." He tucked a stray of hair behind her ears, and spoke slowly again, making sure each of his words can make their way into her mind. "You have a positive outlook on life. You are confident and motivating. You do not like to see me suffer, that is why you go beyond and above to help me when I am in need. You know how to ease my pain as well as preventing painful things when you are capable. You care for me and I know it. You make me feel good about myself and I tend to smile in your presence. "

Even though the strong chilling wind was breaking against her body, Monica was already melting from the inside out. "You have me all enamored." Monica whispered cupping his chin, and offered him a very tender, heartwarming smile. "You know, sometimes, when you glance in my direction and we lock eyes, I just feel my heart beating through your chest. You have me, and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it."

Her words gave Chandler the confidence that he struggled to find within himself.  
"Monica", Chandler finally said confidently," every day with you are like walking on sunshine. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Exhaling deeply, he put on the smile that reflected the state of his heart. Placing one of his hands in his pocket, he took out a box.

Monica covered her mouth with both of her hands as her body began to tremble. _Oh my! The time has come. He`s going to propose. _

_WAIT_

Monica took a second to look closely at the box. Her heart sank as an anchor into the bottom of the sea. It wasn´t a square box as she expected it to be. It was a rectangular one used for necklace or bracelet.

_A NECKLACE? REALLY?,_ Monica scolded in her mind_._

If Chandler wasn't staring at her, her jaw would`ve dropped.

Chandler opened the box to reveal a smaller one inside. Relieved to see an actual ring box, Monica turned away for a second to hide the collision of thoughts and feelings that she was experiencing.

"Monica" Monica focused on Chandler again when she heard his voice, "please give me an opportunity to take care of you and to spend the rest of my life loving you so much. I am ready to be your husband, the man that you can rely on. I am ready to start a family, but I only want to do it with you. Will you marry me?"

"I… I…" Tears of joy were already waiting to be released.

"I can't be more honored!" said Monica with a great smile.

In hearing that, Chandler placed the ring in her finger and quickly pulled himself up to spin her in the air.

In his hands, she heard the gang cheering from far away.

Joy overflew in her heart.

_What better than sunset in the beach?, _Monica thought, _spending my life with Chandler._


End file.
